Application of OSN in membrane cascade for purification of the API Amoxicillin

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Química e Bioquímica

CIP-OSN; Networks as Graphs

Curriculum Innovation Programme - Online Social Networks (UOSM2012) - Networks as Graphs

Complement-mediated regulation of Trichomonas vaginalis infection in mice

Trichomonas vaginalis is a flagellated protozoan which causes trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted disease of the human genitourinary tract, The importance of the alternative complement pathway in host defence against T. vaginalis was investigated in vitro. Kinetic studies utilising immunofixation following electrophoresis showed that both a strongly and weakly virulent strain of T, vaginalis activated murine serum C3. In vivo studies with congenic-resistant, C5-deficient, B10.D2/OSn- and C5-sufficient, B10.D2/nSn mice showed that the presence of C5 is a significant factor in the innate host resistance to primary infection with a strongly virulent, but not a weakly virulent trichomonad strain.

Polyimide and polyetherimide organic solvent nanofiltration membranes

Integrally asymmetric skinned Lenzing P84 and Matrimid 5218 polymide membranes and Ultem 1000 polyetherimide membranes were prepared. Crosslinking of membranes using aliphatic diamines resulted in marked improvement in chemical stability. This however resulted in a decline in flux with only Lenzing P84 demonstrating good flux in DMF. Further variation of membrane dope parameters and operating conditions allowed for good control of the MWCO of membranes made from Lenzing P84. SEM pictures of Lenzing P84 membranes revealed a significant difference in membranes morphology. The presence of macrovoids increased when using more DMF in the dope solution. These studies demonstrate the possibility of developing OSN membranes using different polyimides and opens up future possibilities for controlling the MWCO of these membranes. Preliminary modelling demonstrates that good control of the MWCO could extend the application of OSN membranes to allow the fraction of molecules in the NF range.

Influence of commercially available polyimide and formation conditions on the performance and structure of asymmetric polyimide organic solvent nanofiltration membranes

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Química e Bioquímica

Study of multi-component systems in polybenzimidazole membrane formation and their impact on membrane performance

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Química e Bioquímica

A simple closed-loop membrane process for the purification of active pharmaceutical ingredients

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Química e Bioquímica

Promoter architecture of mouse olfactory receptor genes.

Odorous chemicals are detected by the mouse main olfactory epithelium (MOE) by about 1100 types of olfactory receptors (OR) expressed by olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). Each mature OSN is thought to express only one allele of a single OR gene. Major impediments to understand the transcriptional control of OR gene expression are the lack of a proper characterization of OR transcription start sites (TSSs) and promoters, and of regulatory transcripts at OR loci. We have applied the nanoCAGE technology to profile the transcriptome and the active promoters in the MOE. nanoCAGE analysis revealed the map and architecture of promoters for 87.5% of the mouse OR genes, as well as the expression of many novel noncoding RNAs including antisense transcripts. We identified candidate transcription factors for OR gene expression and among them confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation the binding of TBP, EBF1 (OLF1), and MEF2A to OR promoters. Finally, we showed that a short genomic fragment flanking the major TSS of the OR gene Olfr160 (M72) can drive OSN-specific expression in transgenic mice.

Calcium imaging of odor-evoked responses in the Drosophila antennal lobe.

The antennal lobe is the primary olfactory center in the insect brain and represents the anatomical and functional equivalent of the vertebrate olfactory bulb. Olfactory information in the external world is transmitted to the antennal lobe by olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs), which segregate to distinct regions of neuropil called glomeruli according to the specific olfactory receptor they express. Here, OSN axons synapse with both local interneurons (LNs), whose processes can innervate many different glomeruli, and projection neurons (PNs), which convey olfactory information to higher olfactory brain regions. Optical imaging of the activity of OSNs, LNs and PNs in the antennal lobe - traditionally using synthetic calcium indicators (e.g. calcium green, FURA-2) or voltage-sensitive dyes (e.g. RH414) - has long been an important technique to understand how olfactory stimuli are represented as spatial and temporal patterns of glomerular activity in many species of insects. Development of genetically-encoded neural activity reporters, such as the fluorescent calcium indicators G-CaMP and Cameleon, the bioluminescent calcium indicator GFP-aequorin, or a reporter of synaptic transmission, synapto-pHluorin has made the olfactory system of the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster, particularly accessible to neurophysiological imaging, complementing its comprehensively-described molecular, electrophysiological and neuroanatomical properties. These reporters can be selectively expressed via binary transcriptional control systems (e.g. GAL4/UAS, LexA/LexAop, Q system) in defined populations of neurons within the olfactory circuitry to dissect with high spatial and temporal resolution how odor-evoked neural activity is represented, modulated and transformed. Here we describe the preparation and analysis methods to measure odor-evoked responses in the Drosophila antennal lobe using G-CaMP. The animal preparation is minimally invasive and can be adapted to imaging using wide-field fluorescence, confocal and two-photon microscopes.

Homeodomain binding motifs modulate the probability of odorant receptor gene choice in transgenic mice.

Odorant receptor (OR) genes constitute with 1200 members the largest gene family in the mouse genome. A mature olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) is thought to express just one OR gene, and from one allele. The cell bodies of OSNs that express a given OR gene display a mosaic pattern within a particular region of the main olfactory epithelium. The mechanisms and cis-acting DNA elements that regulate the expression of one OR gene per OSN - OR gene choice - remain poorly understood. Here, we describe a reporter assay to identify minimal promoters for OR genes in transgenic mice, which are produced by the conventional method of pronuclear injection of DNA. The promoter transgenes are devoid of an OR coding sequence, and instead drive expression of the axonal marker tau-β-galactosidase. For four mouse OR genes (M71, M72, MOR23, and P3) and one human OR gene (hM72), a mosaic, OSN-specific pattern of reporter expression can be obtained in transgenic mice with contiguous DNA segments of only ~300 bp that are centered around the transcription start site (TSS). The ~150bp region upstream of the TSS contains three conserved sequence motifs, including homeodomain (HD) binding sites. Such HD binding sites are also present in the H and P elements, DNA sequences that are known to strongly influence OR gene expression. When a 19mer encompassing a HD binding site from the P element is multimerized nine times and added upstream of a MOR23 minigene that contains the MOR23 coding region, we observe a dramatic increase in the number of transgene-expressing founders and lines and in the number of labeled OSNs. By contrast, a nine times multimerized 19mer with a mutant HD binding site does not have these effects. We hypothesize that HD binding sites in the H and P elements and in OR promoters modulate the probability of OR gene choice.

Moniprotokollapalveluiden luontiympäristö

Tieto- ja teleliikenneverkkojen konvergenssi on tuonut uusia vaatimuksia palvelukehitysympäristöille ja aiheuttanut haasteita ympäristöjen kehitykselle. Moderneilla palvelukehitysympäristöillä on pystyttävä tuottamaan nopeasti monimutkaisia ja samalla varmatoimisia palveluja. Lisäksi moniprotokollapalveluiden luontiympäristöjen on mukauduttava uusiin olosuhteisiin, jotta palveluntarjoajat pysyisivät kilpailukykyisinä. Tämän työn tarkoituksena oli etsiä menetelmiä ja apuvälineitä nopeaan ja luotettavaan konvergoivissa verkoissa tarjottavien palveluiden luontiin. Työssä tutustuttiin markkinoilla oleviin palvelukehitysympäristöihin ja esiteltiin Intellitel OSN:n palvelukehitysympäristö ja sen palvelunluontimalli, joka tukee palvelunkehitystä läpi koko palvelunluontiprosessin. Työn käytäntöosuudessa parannettiin Intellitelin palvelunluontimallia ja palvelukehitysympäristön tarjoamia työkaluja ja apuohjelmia. Työssä toteutettiin Intellitelin palvelukehitysympäristöllä vaiheittain palvelunluontimallin mukaisesti numeronmuunnospalvelu.

La educación prosocial en el Bachillerato.

La solidaridad pertenece al ámbito de las actitudes prosociales, cuya enseñanza debe integrarse en la educación secundaria. Se trata de una estructura psíquica, referente al ámbito de la psicología; tiene que afrontarse con una postura coherente y positiva; abarca la totalidad de la persona, lo que piensa, siente y hace; el objeto característico de la solidaridad considerada como actitud es 'el otro en situación de necesidad' (OSN). La relación con el OSN está representada en cinco dilemas que exponen las diferentes tendencias humanas en su relación con él. Los valores actúan como criterios de elección en dichos dilemas, y su pedagogía debe vivirlos y ayudar a resolverlos. Se ejemplifica con el Programa de Educación Prosocial del Colegio Nuestra Señora del Recuerdo, un conjunto de funciones, personas, expectativas de comportamiento, actividades y valores que se organizan para conseguir un objetivo, que en este caso es la orientación prosocial hacia el OSN.

EFFECT OF MACROPHAGE BLOCKADE ON THE RESISTANCE OF INBRED MICE TO PARACOCCIDIOIDES-BRASILIENSIS INFECTION

The effect of macrophage blockade on the natural resistance and on the adaptative immune response of susceptible (B10.D2/oSn) and resistant (A/Sn) mice to Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection was investigated. B10.D2/oSn and A/Sn mice previously injected with colloidal carbon were infected ip with yeast cells to determine the 50% lethal dose, and to evaluate the anatomy and histopathology, macrophage activation, antibody production and DTH reactions. Macrophage blockade rendered both resistant and susceptible mice considerably more susceptible to infection, as evidenced by increased mortality and many disseminated lesions. P. brasiliensis infection and/or carbon treatment increased the ability of macrophages from resistant mice to spread up to 25 days after treatment. In susceptible mice the enhanced spreading capacity induced by carbon treatment was impaired at ail assayed periods except at 1 week after infection. Macrophage blockade enhanced DTH reactions in resistant mice, but did not alter these reactions in susceptible mice, which remained anergic. To the contrary, macrophage blockade enhanced specific antibody production by susceptible mice, but did nor affect the low levels produced by resistant mice. The effect of macrophage blockade confirms the natural tendency of resistant animals to mount DTH reactions in the course of the disease and the preferential antibody response developed by susceptible mice after P. brasiliensis infection. on the whole, macrophage functions appear to play a fundamental role in the natural and acquired resistance mechanisms to P. brasiliensis infection.

"It won't happen to me!": self-disclosure in online social networks

Despite the considerable amount of self-disclosure in Online Social Networks (OSN), the motivation behind this phenomenon is still little understood. Building on the Privacy Calculus theory, this study fills this gap by taking a closer look at the factors behind individual self-disclosure decisions. In a Structural Equation Model with 237 subjects we find Perceived Enjoyment and Privacy Concerns to be significant determinants of information revelation. We confirm that the privacy concerns of OSN users are primarily determined by the perceived likelihood of a privacy violation and much less by the expected damage. These insights provide a solid basis for OSN providers and policy-makers in their effort to ensure healthy disclosure levels that are based on objective rationale rather than subjective misconceptions.

Virtual Infrastructures as a Service enabling Converged Optical Networks and Data Centres

Abstract Cloud computing service emerged as an essential component of the Enterprise {IT} infrastructure. Migration towards a full range and large-scale convergence of Cloud and network services has become the current trend for addressing requirements of the Cloud environment. Our approach takes the infrastructure as a service paradigm to build converged virtual infrastructures, which allow offering tailored performance and enable multi-tenancy over a common physical infrastructure. Thanks to virtualization, new exploitation activities of the physical infrastructures may arise for both transport network and Data Centres services. This approach makes network and Data Centres’ resources dedicated to Cloud Computing to converge on the same flexible and scalable level. The work presented here is based on the automation of the virtual infrastructure provisioning service. On top of the virtual infrastructures, a coordinated operation and control of the different resources is performed with the objective of automatically tailoring connectivity services to the Cloud service dynamics. Furthermore, in order to support elasticity of the Cloud services through the optical network, dynamic re-planning features have been provided to the virtual infrastructure service, which allows scaling up or down existing virtual infrastructures to optimize resource utilisation and dynamically adapt to users’ demands. Thus, the dynamic re-planning of the service becomes key component for the coordination of Cloud and optical network resource in an optimal way in terms of resource utilisation. The presented work is complemented with a use case of the virtual infrastructure service being adopted in a distributed Enterprise Information System, that scales up and down as a function of the application requests.